On The Issues

Affordable Housing:

Reducing the need for affordable housing in our community has always been a priority for me. While I was County Commissioner, my district saw the largest growth in affordable housing units. Every member of our community should be able to afford a roof over their heads. With your support, I will work to continue bringing affordable housing to our district.

Balanced Budget:

Balanced Budgets are required by all local and state governments. All government spending should be reduced and brought under control. A key step to achieving this goal is a balanced budget amendment. Our $21 trillion national debt is dead weight that will be an insurmountable burden on future generations. Reducing government spending, balancing the budget and paying off our national debt are crucial steps to the sustainability of our American economy. With your support, I will go to Washington and advocate for a balanced budget and work towards a balanced budget Amendment that will require that Congress be held accountable and keep our economy growing.

Cuba:

On January 1st of next year, Cuba will have been living under the socialist tyrannical rule of the Castro brothers for 60 years. Cubans struggle every day to live through the failing policies of the regime and find a way to provide for their families. They are not allowed to express their true beliefs and are beaten and incarcerated when they do so. This is the same murderous Castro regime one of my opponents in this race has glorified and celebrated. The Cuban people deserve better. They deserve basic human rights, they deserve fair and democratic elections, they deserve the ability to provide better lives for their families. Like Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, with your support, I will be a strong advocate for a free and democratic Cuba and work to educate colleagues in Congress who are unaware of the realities that the people of Cuba live every day, without glorifying the murderous Castro brothers.

The Economy:

The strong economic numbers we are seeing are very promising. This quarter we saw a growth of 4.1%. This is a testament to what conservative policies can do. We need to continue building on these strong numbers to ensure more opportunities and a better life for all South Floridians. I will continue looking for areas where we can remove government regulations to foster more competition and help with the creation of jobs. With your support, I will work to continue this trend of economic growth for the betterment of our community.

Education:

Every child deserves access to a quality education. The federal government should not be in the business of dictating a common core. Every State should set its own curriculum which is focused on the needs of its students. With your support, I will fight for our children in Washington to help bring additional tax dollars to help continue strengthening our local schools so that they are able to compete for jobs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics in the global economy. Unfortunately, India and China are ahead of us with their system, we must do better, and we will do better if you give me the honor of representing you in Washington.

Immigration and Border Security:

As the son of immigrants, I know the plight of migrant families and understand their struggles. Our immigration system is completely broken and requires a merit-based reform. I believe we need to develop an immigration process that keeps families together while ensuring that our borders are secure. With your support, I will promote and advance our vision and work with colleagues to ensure fairness and respect in our immigration process and keep our borders secure.

Israel:

Israel is one of the United States' greatest allies. I support the administration's decision to move the United States Embassy to Jerusalem. We must steadfastly support the people of Israel as their safety is under constant attack. Make no mistake about it, Iran is the greatest threat, not only to the state of Israel, but to our own nation. They are working actively to destroy the State of Israel and the United States. I am committed to fighting the Mullahs to prevent the destruction of the State of Israel. In addition, Iran is supporting terrorist groups throughout the Middle East, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza. With your support, I will follow the standard of support set by Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and continue to work towards fostering a stronger relationship with Israel and helping to ensure the safety and security of the state of Israel.

Jobs:

I have met with many of you, the residents of the 27th Congressional district. The message has been clear, you want stability in our economy so that you have quality jobs. You want new opportunities for growth and you want to ensure your children have better opportunities. I have heard you and with your support, I will go to Washington to represent you in Congress and work towards building on improving the number of quality jobs by decreasing regulations for small businesses, expanding on continuing education for displaced workers and helping to attract emerging technology jobs to our community.

LGBTQ:

Every human must be treated with dignity, compassion and respect.

Nicaragua:

The current situation in Nicaragua is deeply troubling. Daniel Ortega is a murderer and needs to stop the attacks on his people. No one should be killed for executing their God given freedoms. Youth are being killed every day by a tyrannical government that is entrenched on its socialist policies and seeking to continue its stronghold at any cost. My heart is with the Nicaraguan people and I question how others can support Ortega and the actions of this murderer. With your support, I will go to Washington and be a leader who garners support among Latin American countries and the European Union to put into place a plan for anticipated elections in Nicaragua and hold Ortega and his cronies responsible for the hundreds of innocent murders they have committed. They are cowards who are preying on innocent children who are seeking freedom. Shame on those who are supporters of Ortega, including one of my opponents running for this Congressional seat.

North Korea:

The ongoing negotiations between the Trump administration and the government of North Korea are very important to this stability of that region. No one benefits from a nuclear North Korea. I am optimistic that the administration will continue to advance US policy while negotiating an agreement where we are all living in a safer world. However, at no time should we believe or trust the despotic regime of Kim Jung Un as his trajectory has been that of a murderous dictator. Trying to reduce the probability of nuclear war should always be assured.

Patriotism:

As a lifelong registered Republican, I have been an active supporter of every Republican president and presidential candidate, including our current president. As an American, I have always wished for the success of every president. The success of the president and his administration, regardless of whether they are Republican or Democrat, is the success of America.

Pro Life:

When America declared Independence in 1776, we did so with the premise that we are all created equal with “inalienable rights” by our creator of “life, liberty and pursuit of happiness”. Yet, today in the 21st century, these rights we declared independence to protect are now threatened. Let there be no doubt, life begins at the moment of conception, and abortion is murder. We must all fight to protect the life of the unborn. They have no way of defending themselves. They deserve the same rights we all have. With your support, I will go to Washington and advance prolife policies that will ensure protections for the innocent unborn.

Russia:

Every President since Bill Clinton has sought to improve relations with Vladimir Putin and Russia. As with North Korea, it is important to the stability of the world for there to be an open dialogue between the United States and Russia, while being cautious and remembering the words of the great Ronald Reagan, "Trust but verify". Putin has proven over and over again to be implicated in countless murders of his political opponents in Russia and around the world. At no time should we be naive and trust him, but the possibility of reducing the threat of nuclear war should be explored.

Second Amendment:

Our Founding Fathers believed that our safety and that of our families was important enough to draft the Second Amendment. I am a strong supporter of the Second Amendment. Like the Founding Fathers, I believe our safety and that of our families is of the utmost importance. The legal use of arms is a fundamental right provided for in our US Constitution.

Social Security and Medicare:

Social Security represents the livelihood of our seniors. The current uncertainty over its future is a large problem for many in our community. It must be a priority. We know that Social Security will begin facing a shortfall in funding in 2035. Addressing this issue now is crucial to the sustainability of Social Security. With your support, I will work tirelessly to ensure Social Security and Medicare are available to seniors for generations to come.

Tax Cuts:

Last year we saw a great first step in addressing our antiquated tax code, but the work is not complete. We need to make those middle-class tax cuts permanent. Your money is best served in your pocket, not in the hands of government. With your support, I will work in Congress to make those tax cuts permanent and ensure your hard-earned money stays in your pocket.

Transportation:

Transportation has been a lifelong passion of mine. I have worked in Tallahassee as a Representative for South Florida and as a County Commissioner to address our growing transportation needs. In Tallahassee I helped bring the necessary resources to improve our infrastructure and in the County Commission I worked to promote the best use of those resources. Despite new construction that has been evident to all of us the current situation is unacceptable and impedes on economic growth as commerce cannot easily move within our community. I was a key proponent of expanding Metrorail to the airport MIC. As chairman, I worked to advance the dredging of the Port of Miami and the expansion of Miami International Airport, two of the largest economic engines in South Florida. With your support, in Washington, I will be a strong voice for our community to bring the necessary funds and continue improving our aging infrastructure, bring additional resources to the Port of Miami and Miami International Airport and expand our transit program.

Venezuela:

The people of Venezuela have lived under the dictatorships of Hugo Chavez and Nicolas Maduro for too long. The lack of resources and human rights for the people of Venezuela is unacceptable. I stand firmly with the Venezuelan people and ask that democracy be restored, and the people of that great country be allowed to select their leaders in a fair and democratic process. The Venezuelan people need our support and the US should not turn its back on the Venezuelan people. I believe we should offer a Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans who are fleeing their country for human rights and humanitarian reasons, until a true democracy is restored in Venezuela.

Veterans:

Our veterans have sacrificed and fought to defend the freedoms we enjoy every day. We must do our part to ensure they have the necessary resources. The Department of Veteran's Affairs has for too long been ineffective and deficient in the services it is providing those who have given so much for our country. With your support, I will be a voice for the thousands of veterans in our community who are in need of assistance and fighting with the scars of war. Together, we can ensure these veterans are taken care of and their needs are addressed in a humane way.